Our View: Making strides for equality at the Statehouse

Sunday

Sep 30, 2012 at 12:01 AMSep 30, 2012 at 6:48 PM

Although it’s our society has progressed immensely when it comes to diversity in the halls of power and that politics is no longer just a “white man’s game,” there’s no question that the overall makeup of our political leaders is not at all representative of the diversity of our communities.

At least in one respect, though — women entering the political sphere — Bristol County has been decades ahead of the commonwealth when it comes to placing women in positions of power on Beacon Hill.

Although it’s our society has progressed immensely when it comes to diversity in the halls of power and that politics is no longer just a “white man’s game,” there’s no question that the overall makeup of our political leaders is not at all representative of the diversity of our communities.

At least in one respect, though — women entering the political sphere — this region has been decades ahead of the commonwealth when it comes to placing women in positions of power on Beacon Hill.
Today, in Taunton and throughout Bristol County, this proud heritage continues and even transcends party lines.
In 1954, Fall River’s Mary Fonseca became the first woman of Portuguese descent to be elected state senator. Over the course of her public service career spanning three decades, Fonseca would also become the first woman to hold a leadership position in the Senate.
That torch was passed to another female Fall River political leader, former Sen. Joan Menard, who also served in the Statehouse for more than 30 years after Fonseca. Menard served in the House, representing the 5th Bristol District, from 1979 to 2000. Menard then served for more than a decade as the First Bristol and Plymouth District state senator, leaving office in 2011. During her stint in the Senate, Menard held powerful leadership positions, including nine years as the Senate majority whip. She was the first woman appointed to the role.
Menard said it was not easy for her to ascend to the leadership in a heavily male-dominated Legislature that mirrored some of the chauvinistic attitudes of the time. “I think certain woman have earned the trust and respect of their colleagues. The way they did that, though, was by working twice as hard,” Menard said of breaking through the political glass ceiling.
In fact, it was toward the end of Menard’s tenure — in 2007 — that state Sen. Therese Murray, of Plymouth, ascended to the Senate presidency. Murray was the first woman in the commonwealth’s history to hold that powerful leadership position.
The woman elected to succeed Menard as 5th Bristol representative in 2001, would follow in Menard’s footsteps in a position of leadership and represent Taunton, Dighton, Somerset and Swansea. Somerset’s Patricia Haddad has served as the co-chair of the legislature’s joint education committee and was elevated to speaker pro tempore — the House’s second-in-command — in 2011, Menard’s last year on Beacon Hill.
Closer to home, Republican women have picked up Greater Taunton’s mantel on Beacon Hill. In 2010, state Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, R-Taunton, defeated Democrat James Fagan in a 3rd Bristol District election.
Last year, O’Connell was joined in the House Republican caucus by another trailblazing female Republican, state Rep. Keiko Orrall, an Asian-American woman, elected in a special election last year to represent sections of Taunton, Berkley, Middleboro, Lakeville and New Bedford in the 12th Bristol District. Orrall, R-Lakeville, has proven to be another powerful female voice for Massachusetts House Republicans and the interests of her district. Orrall is up for re-election to a full term this year, facing a challenge from Democrat Roger Brunelle.
Meanwhile, as a freshman legislator of a party outnumbered on Beacon Hill, O’Connell has distinguished herself as a powerful voice on a variety of reform issues. In doing so, she has gained notoriety statewide and has even gained national media exposure for her role in successfully pushing for EBT reform legislation in Massachusetts. Now O’Connell faces her first challenge as an incumbent from another female politician — Sherry Costa Hanlon, a Democratic Taunton city councilor.
Clearly, a great deal of progress has been made in recent years in electing legislators more reflective of the diverse populations they represent. Still, while women represent half the state’s population, men still outnumber women 3 to 1 on Beacon Hill.
Granted, a legislator can effectively represent his or her constituency regardless of gender, race or ethnicity. But more women and minorities in positions of power can add to the perspective that only first-hand knowledge of certain issues can bring. Electing more diverse voices to serve in our halls of power can strengthen our commonwealth and nation.

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